‘Revenge porn’ victim suffered breakdown

A CLERKENWELL man who sent a WhatsApp group sexual photographs of a woman he had fallen out with has been given a restraining order after admitting a “revenge porn” offence.
Mark Harrold pleaded guilty on Tuesday to disclosing private sexual photographs with intent to cause distress.

The 25-year-old had set up a WhatsApp group called “Fat Bitch Torture House” with several other people last Novem­ber. He then shared nude pictures of a woman he met on a gaming app and had become close friends with, Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court heard.

Prosecutor Demi Ugurtay said Harrold, of President House, King Square, posted a message to the victim: “You sent it freely and now it’s public. There’s no crimes there, darling.”

Ms Ugurtay added: “The complainant states she is going to call police about this and he says: ‘I will look forward to it.’ She says a number of times: ‘You cannot share these. I’m going to call the police’.”

Magistrates were told that in his police interview he alleged the victim had become “jealous” of another woman he had been talking to, and she had approached his friends about it.

“He said he did this with the intention of upsetting the victim as he was annoyed at what she had said to his friends,” said Ms Ugurtay.

Harrold, a former hospitality worker, was due to stand trial on Tuesday but changed his plea at the last minute.

Defending, Jack Wright said his original plea was probably due to “inadequate legal advice”.

In a statement read out in court, the victim said: “The situation has put me in a very vulnerable place. Since then I’ve had another breakdown.

“My anxiety is out of control and I can barely leave the house. I feel on edge, I feel I cannot trust anyone. I do not know who viewed my photos other than the people I know about.”

Harrold was charged under a “revenge porn” offence introduced in 2015 under the Criminal Justice and Courts Act.

He was sentenced to a community order, including a rehabilitation course and 100 hours of unpaid work, £200 com­pensation to the victim and an £85 victim sur­charge. He was also given a five-year restraining order preventing him contacting the victim.